Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
DMAX vs IVV: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, DMAX returned +6.2% to IVV's +13.7%, and IVV charges 0.03% to DMAX's 0.50%.
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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $130m for iShares Large Cap Max Buffer Dec ETF and $885.1bn for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF.
Pair scorecard
IVV costs 0.47 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 7.5 points; IVV is far larger, $885.1bn against $130m.
| Measure | DMAX | IVV |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +6.2% | +13.7% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Index fall to the buffer | 11.9% | |
| Fund price fall to the buffer | 5.2% | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | IVV | S&P 500 |
| The outcome period | ||
| Buffer left, in index points | 99.5% of 99.5% | |
| Days left in the period | 65 | |
| Period ends | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.50% | 0.03% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $130m | $885.1bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | not published | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 38.1% | |
Side by side
DMAX and IVV on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
IVV had already risen past this fund's cap of +6.3% for the period on Oct 27, 2026, so in index terms there is no more upside to collect. The fund's own price can still drift up to about 1.3% as the period runs out.
The fund's price can fall 5.2% from here before the buffer starts absorbing losses, by the issuer's number. In index terms, IVV can fall 11.9% from today's level to the point where the buffer begins. Protection left, in index points: 99.5% of the 99.5% buffer still sits below today's IVV level. 65 days remained on Oct 27, 2026. On Dec 31, 2026 the period ends and a new cap is set.
IVV
IVV tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.7% with distributions reinvested, against +13.6% for its benchmark, the S&P 500. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 505 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.
Questions people ask
- Are DMAX and IVV in the same category?
- DMAX is a buffer ETF and IVV is a stock ETF, so they do different jobs. The table compares what both publish: return, cost and holdings.
- Which returned more over the last year, DMAX or IVV?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, DMAX returned +6.2% and IVV +13.7%.
- Which is cheaper, DMAX or IVV?
- IVV is cheaper, by 0.47 percentage points a year. That is about $47 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, DMAX against IVV, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/dmax-vs-ivv
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). DMAX against IVV. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/dmax-vs-ivv
[DMAX against IVV (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/dmax-vs-ivv)
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